BISHOP'S REACH by Kathryn R Wall
Kathryn H Wall's newest novel BISHOP'S REACH is another in her series of Bay Tanner mysteries. Once again the intrepid Bay and her investigator Erik Whitesides find mystery and mayhem aplenty in the sleepy town of Beaufort, South Carolina. They uncover clients who have been raped, robbed or just plain intimidated. It all makes for interesting reading because Bay is the center of the storm for all these activities.
Bay's investigative firm is known as Simpson and Tanner. The Simpson is for Bay's father Judge Talbot Simpson, and the Tanner is of course for her. The Judge does not take an active role in the agency as he has been felled by a stroke and is pretty much confined to his home. Thus Bay has the need of Erik, who serves as her lead investigator and general "do what she wants" man.
As this story starts Bay's old friend, both literally and figuratively, Adelaide Hammond is looking for her missing brother Win. Bay has promised to look into his disappearance and keep Miss Addie up to date. She also has a new client who claims she has been raped, but rather than go to the police she wants Bay to find her rapist.
Over the course of the book Bay gets involved in these cases as well as with another old friend's quandary. This lady has been taken advantage of by a smooth talking man who convinced her to give him some of her money to be used in his "investments." Of course he took off with the money and was not seen or heard of again.
Finally Bay's college roommate Neddie shows up at Bay's home with an errant teenager, Yancey, in tow. Yancey is in trouble with some bad types and Neddie wants them to hide out at Bay's for a while. As you can tell, Bay does not suffer from a lack of interesting characters in her life. And these are only the non-romantic involvements. She also has to juggle her lovesick brother-in-law Red, and a cocky private detective named Ben.
All of these people who are involved in BISHOP'S REACH make the book more than just casually interesting. They grab your attention and hold on to it from beginning to end. You care about the situations because you care about all of them, especially Bay. With each new book she is becoming more and more confident of her abilities and also of her emotions. She is still the Judge's daughter but is also an independent woman who can run her life and her business.
The mysteries in BISHOP'S REACH are played out at a leisurely pace without any real sense of danger until the very end of the story. The details and information that lead to the climax of the story are given out in small increments, but each piece builds on what went before and eventually provides a pattern of behavior that is understandable.
Still it isn't the plot of the mystery that makes this book so compelling. It is the cast of characters that inhabit the book. Wall knows these people inside and out and uses her talent as a writer to make them come alive on the pages. You are comfortable with them and you are familiar with them, and this makes you care about them. When it is time for the story to end you feel like a group of close friends have decided to go home after a shared vacation. You have had a great time and you just don't want it to end.
For a relaxing and enjoyable read pick up BISHOP'S REACH. It will be good company for a few days at the beach.
BISHOP'S REACH is published by St Martin's press. It contains 304 pages and sells for $24.95.